Oh, hello…

For me, this entry is loooooonnnnnnggggg overdue. My first semester of nursing school was a complete and utter whirlwind; I didn’t manage my time well and I didn’t meet my own expectations. However, through this experience, I can honestly say that I’ve learned a lot – about the program, myself and what I aim to be.

Before the semester began, I was an organized machine who had successfully completed my pre-requisites and many of the science core-requisites. I had been advised not to take on the course load in the way that I did (I didn’t listen, of course), so when I finished those courses in the top percentile, I thought “hey, I can double up on my course load for the first semester of nursing school.”  NOPE.

I created a schedule consisting of; Nursing 100, Physics, Organic and Biochemistry, Developmental Psychology and a nursing elective. Some of you may have already guessed that the Nursing 100 course was the most challenging; it was unlike any class I had taken before. It took about half of the semester before I truly got into the swing of things and I was lucky to squeeze out a B+. I had to change my study habits specifically for this course and here’s what worked for me:

1.      Time Management

Use a planner/calendar to plan out every day, for me this included study time as well as workouts. This may be a little extreme for some, but it helped me to stay focused and organized. Every Sunday I would plan for the upcoming week. In addition to this, I would create checklists of topics to cover, that I would write down as realistic and manageable goals, the night before. Doing this simple task helped to clear my mind and sort of let everything go before bed, decreasing stress levels and allowed me to just jump right into a plan of action, the next day. Proper time management can keep you from cramming and allow you to fully grasp the information at hand.

2.      Take Breaks

It seems counter-intuitive, but it is oh so necessary! Breaks are imperative to remain productive, without them you run the risk of becoming fatigued and decreasing your ability to remain alert and sane. I would have lunch outside of my study environment; scroll through Instagram, take a walk or exercise - essentially any activity that allowed my mind to rest. If this doesn’t jive with you, occasionally take a few minutes to stand, stretch or practice deep breathing.

3.      Study Every Day

Seriously - Study. Every. Day. Spend about two hours to review what you’ve learned in lecture that day and test your understanding through NCLEX or end of the chapter questions (you don’t have to go crazy, but a few from each topic will help to determine where you stand and areas that require more work – utilize your textbook to fill in gaps). Make sure to read the rationales to enhance your understanding and ability to think critically, I do this even when I answer the question correctly.  This semester I have used Saunders Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-RN Examination and Davis’s Fundamentals Success.

We received most of our lecture notes through PowerPoint, which helped to narrow down exam topics. I would re-write the information from the PowerPoint in a way that was more clear and concise (for me) and prevented me from covering material outside of what we’ve learned.

The environment in which you study is equally important. Make it neat, organized and free from distraction. Turn off your cell phone.

4.       Think Like a Nurse

Details, data and facts are important – knowing normal lab values, metabolic processes of the body, etc will help you to make informed decisions for your patient. However, I must emphasize that almost every exam question I had revolved around selecting the most correct answer, relating to the action I would perform as a nurse. This is why (as previously stated) you must read and understand the rationales from the NCLEX questions. This will guide you through the Nursing Process and to think critically when providing patient centered care.

I hope this list helps or at the very least reinforces what you may already know. Drop a line with your favorite study techniques! I wish you all luck this spring semester and success in your journey to nursing! Check out some tools for success, below!

Test Success

 

                   

Fundamentals Success

NCLEX-RN